Device for a container

ABSTRACT

The device is for a container provided with an opening and a flexible wall. The device comprises at least one tank insertable into the container in operating position; and at least one release mechanism insertable into the container in operating position. The release mechanism is capable of cooperating with the tank in order to connect the tank with the interior of the container in response to a pressure exerted on the release mechanism via the wall of the container. The device comprises also a support element insertable inside the container to support in operating position the tank and the release mechanism in relation to the container. The support element has a fastening to fix it on the container close to the opening.

CROSS REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATION

This is a U.S. national phase application under 35 U.S.C. §371 ofInternational Patent Application No. PCT/CA2004/000548, filed Apr. 8,2004, and claims priority of Canadian Patent Application No. 2,424,536,filed Apr. 10, 2003, which is incorporated by reference herein. TheInternational Application was published in French on Oct. 21, 2004 as WO2004/089781 A1 under PCT Article 21(2).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device for a container provided withan opening and a flexible wall.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

It is known from prior art the U.S. Pat. No. 6,173,579 (DAVIDSON) whichshows, on FIGS. 1 and 2, a bottle being able to contain a drink andcomprising a sealed compartment as well as means to cause a rupture,from the outside of the bottle, of a bulkhead of the sealed compartmentto connect with another sealed compartment of the bottle. According to apreferred embodiment of this invention, the goal is to allow to acompressed coolant contained inside the first sealed compartment to takeexpansion to cool itself and by the very fact to cool the contents ofthe bottle. Thus the user can take a bottle directly of a rack at theroom temperature and consume a cold drink as if it had been storedinside a refrigerator.

In another preferred embodiment shown on FIGS. 3 and 5 of this patent,the other compartment constitutes the interior of the bottle. In thisembodiment, a compartment comprises a gas to gasify the drink containedinside the bottle. In this case, the compartment 61 is filled with gasnitrogen. It is the general shape of a cylinder to adjust itself insidea standard drink bottle with its longitudinal axis aligned with thelongitudinal axis of the bottle. The body of the compartment 61 has aflattened part. A projecting part 67 is directed towards this flattenedpart, and can be actuated from outside of the bottle to break a membrane69. At the time of the breaking, the nitrogen is spread inside thebottle to gasify the drink.

The U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,420 delivered on Jan. 27, 1998 in the name ofRobert E. SPRING describes an apparatus to distribute a substance in aliquid drink. This patent, as illustrated on FIGS. 1 to 5, present aninvention relating to the distribution of a substance, including a drug,in a drink inside a container. The proposed system comprises a container10, a principal compartment 9 and a secondary compartment 90, which areseparated by a common sealed wall 92, 94 and a means to cause therupture of said common wall accessible from outside. The rupture of thecommon wall 92, 94 allows the mixture of the two products inside theprincipal compartment 9.

The U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,635 delivered on Mar. 23, 1999 in the name ofRobert E. SPRING et al. describes another apparatus to disperse asubstance in a liquid drink. The container 10 of this apparatus, asillustrated on FIGS. 1 to 5, comprises a principal compartment 9, asecondary compartment 20 as well as a waterproof common wall betweenthese two compartments. The system also provides a means to cause therupture of the common wall which is accessible from the outside andwhich allows to mix the two products together.

The U.S. Pat. No. 6,513,650 B2 delivered on Feb. 4, 2003 in the name ofMOLLSTAN et al. describes a container with two compartments. The systemcomprises a principal compartment 14, a secondary compartment 12, acommon wall 18 between the two compartments as well as means 20, 22 tocause the rupture of said common wall 18 accessible from outside tocause the mixture of the two products. While referring to FIGS. 1 and 2,one can notice that the means 20, 22 to cause the rupture of the commonwall 18 are found in fact in the cap of the container. On simplepressure of the top of the cap, a blunt object causes the rupture of thesecondary compartment to release the secondary product inside theprincipal product.

The U.S. Pat. No. 3,039,644 delivered on Jun. 19, 1962 in the name of M.LEFCORT describes a container compartmentalized for drinks. Thespecification of this patent, and more particularly on FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and4, describes a container 10 composed of a principal compartment (L), ofa secondary compartment (G), and of a common wall 15 between the twowaterproof compartments as well as a means 20 to cause the rupture ofthis common wall 15 accessible from outside. The rupture of the commonwall 15 will allow mixing the two products together in the principalcompartment. This invention aims at storing in two separate portions abasic drink and carbon dioxide being used to give it its sparklingtaste.

The U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,581, delivered on Jun. 8, 1982 in the name ofDonald G. FLANSBURG, describes a multi-compartmental container. Thespecification of this patent describes a container comprising aprincipal compartment 10, a secondary compartment 54 as well as a commonwaterproof wall 34 separating the two compartments, and a means 24, 28,44, 46 to perforate the common wall, the means being accessible fromoutside. The rupture of this common wall will cause the mixture of thetwo products.

The following patents describe various containers: U.S. Pat. No.3,305,368; U.S. Pat. No. 3,743,520; U.S. Pat. No. 3,779,372; U.S. Pat.No. 4,264,007; U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,142; U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,677; U.S.Pat. No. 6,250,346 B1; U.S. Pat. No. 6,263,923 B1; U.S. Pat. No.6,543,612; and CA 1,279,849.

All the aforementioned patents show in general containers which must bemodified to make it possible to the user to mix products inside thecontainer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has the aim of proposing a device which adaptseasily on a standard container like a bottle or a can, withoutmodification of the container and to allow the user to mix products inthe container.

The present invention aims at a device for a container provided with anopening and a flexible wall, the device comprising at least one tankinsertable into the container in operating position, at least onerelease mechanism insertable into the container in operating positionsaid release mechanism being capable of cooperating with the tank inorder to connect the tank with the interior of the container in responseto a pressure exerted on said release mechanism via the wall of thecontainer, and a support means insertable into the container to supportin operating position the tank and the release mechanism in relation tothe container, the support means having a fastener to fix the supportmeans on the container close to the opening.

The objects, advantages and other characteristics of this invention willappear more clearly with the reading of the non-restrictive description,which follows, of preferred embodiments, by referring to the annexeddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a first preferred embodiment of the inventionin relation to a bottle in a first operating position;

FIG. 2 is a view of the elements shown on FIG. 1 in a second operatingposition, in relation to the fingers of a user;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the embodiment shown on FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the embodiment shown on FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the embodiment shown on FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side view of a second preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a top view of the embodiment shown on FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a side view of a third preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a top view of the embodiment shown on FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a side view of a fourth preferred embodiment of theinvention, in relation to a can;

FIG. 11 is a view along line XI-XI shown on FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a view of the elements shown on FIG. 10, in relation to thefingers of a user;

FIG. 13 is a view along line XIII-XIII shown on FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a side view of the embodiment shown on FIGS. 10, 11, 12 and13; and

FIG. 15 is a front view of the embodiment shown on the FIG. 14.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

If one refers now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, there is shown a device for acontainer 4 provided with an opening and a flexible wall 6, whichcomprises at least one tank 8 insertable into the container 4 inoperating portion. The device comprises also at least one releasemechanism 10 insertable into the container 4 in operating position. Therelease mechanism 10 is capable of cooperating with the tank 8 in orderto connect the tank 8 with the interior of the container 4 in responseto a pressure exerted on the release mechanism 10 via the flexible wall6 of the container 4. The device also comprises a support means 14insertable into the container 4 to support in operating position thetank 8 and the release mechanism 10 in relation to the container 4. Thesupport means 14 has a fastener to fix it on the container 4 close tothe opening. Preferably, the support means is made of a flexiblematerial so that, when necessary, the device can be deformed to beinserted in the container 4 through its opening.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a preferred embodiment where the device is incombination with a bottle having a threaded neck 18 and characterized inthat the fastener comprises an annular bulge 20 capable of cooperatingwith a lower edge of the neck 18 and a collar 22 capable of cooperatingwith a superior edge of neck 18. The bulge 20 and the collar 22 make itpossible to fix the support means 14 on the container 4. The supportmeans 14 comprises a conduit 24 allowing to connect the tank 8 with anopening for filling 26 adjacent, in operating position, to the superioredge of neck the 18. This opening for filling 26 will allow to fill thetank 8 before or after the installation of the device inside thecontainer 4. The annular bulge 20 and the collar 22 allow to ensure astable assembly of the device inside the neck 18.

Preferably, the release mechanism 10 consists of an elongated section 28having a first end connected to a weakened section 30 of the tank 8 andwhose rupture is capable of connecting the tank 8 with the interior ofthe container 4, and a second end 32 adjacent, in operating position,with the flexible wall 6 of the container 4 to receive the pressureexerted via the wall 6 of the container 4. In FIG. 2, one sees therelease mechanism 10 which is activated by the pressure exerted via theflexible wall 6 of the container 4 and which causes the rupture of theweakened zone 30.

Preferably, at the time of the use of the device with a container 4whose wall 6 is transparent, the second end 32 of the elongated section28 comprises a button 34 of a partially spherical shape, visible throughthe wall 6 of the container 4.

Referring to FIGS. 4 to 9, the device for container 4 according to thepresent invention can comprise, preferably, between two and four tanks.Of course, the number of tanks is not limited to four. According tothese other preferred embodiments, the number of releases mechanisms 10is equal to the number of tanks 8, these releases mechanisms 10 beingcapable of cooperating respectively with the tanks 8. The support means14 is for supporting in operating position said tanks 8 and saidreleases mechanisms 10 in relation to the container 4.

Preferably, the release mechanisms 10 each consist of an elongatedsection 28 having a first end connected respectively to a weakenedsection 30 on the corresponding tank 8 whose rupture is capable ofconnecting the corresponding tank 8 with the interior of the container4, and a second end 32 adjacent, in operating position, with theflexible wall 6 of the container 4 to receive the pressure exerted viathe flexible wall 6 of the container 4. More particularly, FIGS. 6 and 7show us a device with three tanks 8 and three corresponding releasemechanisms 10, and FIGS. 8 and 9 show us a device having four tanks 8and four corresponding release mechanisms 10. The devices having morethan one tank are characterized in that the release mechanisms 10 areconnected between them by a return element 38 to exert a return force onthe release mechanisms 10 towards a home position.

Preferably, referring now more particularly to FIGS. 5, 7 and 9, thedevice comprising more than one tank 8 is characterized in that therelease mechanisms 10 are distributed, in operating position, regularlyalong the flexible wall 6 of the container 4. The tanks 8 are preferablyprovided with a translucent wall comprising graduations to make itpossible to check a filling level of each tank 8. The graduations allowthe user to control the quantity of the secondary product which hewishes to extract from each tank 8 to mix with the primary productinside the container 4.

According to another preferred embodiment, referring now to FIGS. 10 to15, it is shown a device for a container 4 which is a can having a body42 and a lid 44, characterized in that the fastener comprises an border46 capable of cooperating with a higher edge 48 of the body 42 of thecan, the border 46 allowing to fix the support means 50 on the container4. On FIGS. 14 and 15, one can see that the support means 50 comprisesat least one housing 52 to place at least one tank 54 which, inoperating position, is adjacent with the flexible wall 6 of the can.According to this embodiment, said tank 54 comprises a preferableflexible wall 56.

Preferably, the device for the can is characterized in that the releasemechanism consists of a tooth 58 having a first end fixed by supportmeans 50 and a second blunt end 60 adjacent to the tank 54 to perforatethe tank 54 and to connect it with the interior of the container 4 whensaid pressure is exerted. The device for the can is characterized inthat it comprises six tanks capable of being perforated by six distinctreleasing mechanisms capable of cooperating respectively with the tanks54. The support means 50 is for supporting in operating position thetanks 54 and the release mechanisms in relation to the container 4.

Preferably, the release mechanisms each consist of a tooth 58 having afirst end fixed by support means 50 and a second blunt end 60 adjacentto the corresponding tank 54 to perforate said corresponding tank 54 andto connect it with the interior of container 4 when said pressure isexerted.

Preferably, referring now more particularly to FIGS. 14 and 15, thedevice for the can is characterized in that the support means 50consists of an arc 62 comprising two opposite jambs 64 and having eachone an internal surface and an external surface 66. The support means 50comprises at least one housing 52 which is located on the externalsurface 66 of each jamb 64. The arc 62 is flexible in order to exert areturn force on the two jambs 64 towards a home position, and to beinsertable in the body 42 of the can.

The present invention is for adding value to the containers and,particularly but not exclusively, to the containers for the beveragespresented in plastics bottles, aluminium cans or boxes of paperboard,for example.

Although the invention is aiming a multitude of applications andindustries such as the pharmaceutical industry, the cosmetic industry orthe chemical industry, etc, the drinks industry would profit more fromthis invention.

The present invention refers to containers for beverages, or for otherends having the characteristic to possess a principal compartmentrepresented by the container 4 and at least a secondary compartmentrepresented by the tank 8 which, with an opening mechanism, allow themixture of a primary substance with one or many secondary substances.

The invention comprises a principal compartment to contain a firstproduct and a secondary compartment to contain a second product. Thissecondary compartment has a common wall with the principal compartmentand means accessible from the outside of the container to create anopening in the common wall and thus to release the second product insidethe principal compartment.

A standard container, such as for example the bottle in PET(polyethylene terephtalate) of a soft drink or the aluminium can of ajuice, will be used by way of principal compartment and receiver (femalepart). It matters that this container did not undergo any modification.An addition is then carried out to the container; it is the innovation.The addition is used as a support to one or many secondary compartmentsand is provided with means allowing the opening or the breaking of thepartitions. This addition is inserted in the principal container to forma unit with this last (male part). The receiving container is equippedwith a top, a side and a bottom. Once that the addition is inserted andretained in places into correct alignment by a design simple and adaptedto the container, the operation of the new container goes as follows.The container from now on is composed of a principal compartment and asecondary compartment. The container also comprises means, accessiblefrom outside, to create an opening in a wall common to bothcompartments. The principal compartment can be of variables form andvolume and be manufactured of any type of material (aluminium, plastic,paperboard, glass, steel, alloy, etc). It can also contain a productgasified or not or substances of pharmaceutical or cosmetic character.In this principal compartment the addition is incorporated and, by thevery fact, a release device corresponding to the release mechanism ofthe description, allowing the opening, the closing or the breaking ofone or several waterproof compartments and to release the secondaryingredient or ingredients in the product or the primary ingredient. Therelease device inside the primary container becomes accessible fromoutside by a pressure of the hand to the indicated place. By doing this,the elasticity of the wall of the principal container, in pressure andin depression, allows the reach of the intern mechanism and thus allowsto operate the opening, the closing or the breaking of the common wall.The secondary ingredients can take the shape of a liquid, of a powder orof a solid and their states can vary.

The secondary ingredient or ingredients thus released in the primaryingredient, in a controlled way or not, will allow to the user to modifythe product as for its flavour, its odour or any other characteristic.For example, the addition and the mixing of the secondary ingredient oringredients could modify the flavour of the primary ingredient whileturning it more or less spicy, salted, sweetened, vigorous, alcoholic,with lime flavour, etc. This procedure could also allow modifying theodour of a scented solution, the color of a dyeing, the colour of acosmetic, the vitamin concentration of a drink, etc.

The addition could contain several choices of flavours or othercharacteristics. We can thus find there several secondary ingredientscontained in several distinct secondary compartments delimited byseveral waterproof bulkheads inside the same container. These partitionscould be associated to the container in a rigid or partial way. Theycould be assembled to the principal container, such as for example acan, in order to have the shape of a slab and to facilitate the flow ofthe product, such as for example a drink, towards the tip. This wouldallow a more laminar pouring.

The button or buttons could be actuated before or after the opening ofthe container. In the case of soft drinks, internal pressure arranges itto reduce the elasticity of the wall when the container is still sealed.It is following the opening of the container that the mechanism isperfectly operational. Moreover, the transport of the gas bubbles causesan improvement of the homogeneity of the mixture. When the soft drinksare contained in a plastic bottle, the same situation prevails. On theother hand, the flow will only be possible when the air can enter by thefilling orifices of the addition. The technique of liquid nitrogenintroduction could create similar conditions for the food productswithout gas. It should be noted that the density of the product and itscapacity of dissolution will have an impact on the quality of thehomogeneity of the mixture. Moreover, in the case of the addition forthe bottle, the level of the primary substance will have to becalculated in order to allow the flow of all the secondary substancesbefore reaching the intersection of the opening of the secondarycompartments.

The product can enter in all the houses of the world; its marketing thusrepresents a large volume. This innovation is accessible, economicallysimple, safe and easy to handle. The development costs are affordableand its creation will allow reducing the costs of the organization. Theinvention allows the consumer to take part in the manufacturing andselecting process.

It is a matter of the ultimate rational way to pursue the strategy ofsegmentation organized during the last years. The product will meet aneed for identification for the various age groups, sex groups, etc.This innovation will make it possible to renew the production and tocreate a new enthusiasm in the market of the beverages and thedistribution. This new type of container also profits from the samecycle of recycling as the primary container. It will be of simpledesign, robust and available facing the technology of today. Lastly,this new container offers inexhaustible possibilities in terms ofsetting in market.

The list of the uses to which the invention can apply is long. Withoutbeing exhaustive, it comprises:

-   -   the cola: nature or choice of flavour (vanilla, cherry, etc.)        and adjustment of the intensity of the desired flavour and this,        right before its consumption;    -   the mineral water: nature and offering a choice of flavour        (lemon, lime, etc.) and adjustment of the intensity of this        flavour;    -   vegetable or tomato juice: nature or spiced and adjustment of        the desired intensity;    -   the tea: nature or lemon flavoured and selection of the        intensity of flavour;    -   the beer: nature or tomato flavoured, accentuated cereal flavour        or lime flavoured and selection of the intensity of the flavour;    -   the perfume: adjustment of the intensity of the emanations;    -   to maintain a gas separate from a liquid and injection at the        favourable time, right before the use or consumption;    -   to maintain substances separated for handling and storage;    -   to associate reactive products at the moment of the use (e.g.:        glue);    -   to allow the addition of therapeutic substances to a primary        ingredient for the need of a treatment;    -   to allow the addition of a quantity of sugar in relation to the        sugar rate of a patient;    -   to give the choice to a consumer to incorporate vitamin        supplements or additives (calcium, for example) in a primary        substance (Soya or cow's milk, for example);    -   to allow the mixture of substances right before the use, certain        mixtures requiring it in order to improve the conservation;    -   etc.

The consumer keeps the full control while deciding to drink withoutmodification the primary substance from the container or in a differentcontainer. He has the possibility of choosing, among the options whichare offered to him, the flavour, the odour as well as the desiredintensity and this, thanks to a simple pressure of the wall of theexisting container. The mechanism considered makes it possible to thecustomers to preserve a perfect control of the quantities injected.

The other advantages associated with the invention are as follows:

-   -   give “wings” to all the branches of industry of the organization        and the market in general: marketing, transport, production,        purchase, handling, chemistry of the solutions, industrial        engineering, etc;    -   to reinvent the way to drink;    -   to be in harmony with the current concepts of recycling;    -   to avoid major investments to make tests;    -   it is not toxic, anti-corrosive, transparent and aesthetic;    -   it is resistant to the normal impacts in relation to handling        and storage;    -   the addition with the container is not permanent and could be        sold separately, in particular in the case of the bottles in        PET; and    -   it does not deteriorate the current container.

One of the assets of the invention is to count on the very value of theexisting container without changing anything in its appearance. Indeed,the invention does nothing but bring added value to the existingcontainers. It thus consists in the manufacture of an addition in anunder-assembly mode which is then fixed in a simple way and adapted tothe body of the container.

The efforts of innovation of the containers up to now were especiallycentered towards the development of more voluptuous forms, morefashionable colors, volumes better adapted to the circumstantial needs,of materials elaborated according to technological advance and this, inorder to generate benefit of cost, of quality or of transport.

None of these innovations touches the functionality of the container.The evolutions of functionalities were especially concentrated towardsthe caps, the glue containers which can mix the two components of anepoxy, the sealed container to preserve freshness or to retain thepressure of a gas, the peppermill making it possible to crush its pepperto have it with wanted granulometry, the container under pressure withwhich it is possible to vaporize a product, the shoes wax containerprovided with a sponge allowing to wax the shoes directly.

Most of the time, the functionality was developed within sight of asingle product inside the container. However, many products areresulting from the mixture from one or several other products. One ofthe alternatives of the containers which could be marketed in the futurecould make it possible to monopolize a part of the manufacturing processupstream while bringing benefit to the organization and to the customerswho consume the good in question.

Certain mixtures cannot be prepared a long time in advance because ofthe lack of stability and of the fast degradation of the resultingsubstance. It is thus certain that because of this constraint someorganizations working in the food, the pharmaceutical, the cosmetic orothers industries put aside some products which could however beextremely interesting for the consumers. It would be possible tolengthen the lifespan of certain products offered already mixed bydelaying the realization of the mixture right before its use or itsconsumption.

The present invention allows anticipating many benefits andtechnological advantages. Initially, an addition which is of a greateffectiveness, safe and robust, made of the same material as theprincipal container and allowing the same recycling mode as thereceiving container. This addition can be manufactured in anunder-assembly and be incorporated in the current assembly lines for aninstallation in one step. This addition will be also articulated inorder to be able to carry out various doses. Lastly, this addition doesnot require any modification to the principal container.

This new addition offers possibilities which were not exploited untilnow. It can create value to a given product. Moreover, the benefits arevery interesting for the consumer.

The addition makes it possible to offer to the consumers, in a singlecontainer, the possibility of choosing the flavour which they prefer atthe very last moment. It also makes it possible to adjust the intensityof the flavour according to specific requirements of each individual sothat each consumer produces the taste which he likes most.

Who wouldn't like to be in measure to adjust the syrup of his preferredcola to the desired intensity? Several people have the impression thatthe taste of the large sizes is more diluted.

Moreover, according to the selection of the dishes as well as the hourto which a meal is taken, it would be pleasant to have this possibilityof modifying the flavour of a drink in relation to dishes with more orless pronounced tastes. A little as one adjusts the choice of a wineaccording to the more or less pronounced taste of a cheese.

Important thing, the benefits already offered by the container withoutthe addition according to the present invention, are not affected. Theconsumer always has the possibility of consuming only the primaryproduct, of drinking or not from the container, etc. Actually, theaddition according to the present invention allows, on a point ofinformation, to reinvent our way of drinking.

One of the major advantages of this invention would be to make itpossible to the operating organization to profit from a lever withoutprecedent enabling it to increase its sales by a renewed marketing.Moreover, it would profit from important reductions of cost bywithdrawing from the production process all the complexity coming fromthe operations and management of the production of all its flavours.

The chemists could set loose their creativity to create components to beincorporated in the secondary containers, integral parts of theaddition.

The industry of the beverages will be able to offer more personalizedproducts and offering the possibility to the consumer to personalize hisbeverage himself. This second option is the best, because it meets theimmediate needs for the consumers rather than to attack multiplesupplies or demands.

The quality of materials used up to now for the manufacture of thecurrent containers was tested billion times. The materials used tomanufacture the addition are of comparable nature and of robustconstruction. The scope of the invention arranges that to reduce thepossibilities of substitution.

The principal products used for the bottling of drinks are thealuminium, the glass and the plastic. However, the recent technologicaldevelopments support the growing use of the plastic. Until recently,only PVC (polyvinyl chloride) was used for the bottling of soft drink.Its lightness and its low cost are two assets militant in his favour.Unfortunately, it is not completely tight to the passage of CO₂ and O₂.That causes to reduce the time of conservation of the products on theshelves. Thus, PVC is usable for soft drinks, but unacceptable for beerand this is why the containers of aluminium and glass are still used.

For a few years, the PET has made its entry and replaces the PVC moreand more, because it is superior. It is 20% lighter, as transparent asglass, unbreakable, easy to manufacture and easy to recycle. Moreover,it affects less the environment than the other containers. It is alsomuch tighter with CO₂ and of O₂ then the PCV, what multiplies by three(and up to twenty) the lifespan of soft drinks. Current R&D work aims toincrease this sealing until it reaches that of glass. Thus thecontainers in PET could be used for beer and wine. Finally, the PET isless expensive than PVC. The PET thus seems the plastic of the futurefor bottling. However, its use requires very thorough technologicalknowledge. The bottles currently on the market are the result ofimportant investments (about 150 million dollars CDN) in R&D.

Though the present invention was described above by way of preferredembodiment, such preferred embodiment can, of course be modified at willwhile remaining inside the field defined by the claims annexed withoutchanging or affecting the nature or the extent of this invention.

1. A container for allowing the release of a first substance into asecond substance, said container comprising in combination: a can forcontaining the second substance provided with an opening at its top endand a lateral flexible wall; a support insertable in the can forsupporting at least one tank containing the first substance within thecan adjacent to the inner surface of the can flexible wall; a fastenerto fix the support on the can top end; and at least one tooth having afirst end fixed to the support and a second blunt end abutting at leastone tank, said tooth second end engaging and perforating at least onetank in response to a lateral force exerted on an outside area of thecan flexible wall that moves the tooth second end relative to at leastone tank to engage and perforate at least one tank, thereby releasingthe first substance contained within the tank into the second substancecontained within the can.
 2. A container according to claim 1, whereinthe support is made of a material comprising at least one of metal,plastic, paperboard, glass and an alloy of metal.
 3. A containeraccording to claim 1, wherein the fastener comprises a border at the cantop end for cooperating with a superior edge of the can to fix thesupport on the can close to its opening.
 4. A container according toclaim 1, wherein the support comprises two opposite jambs formed as anarc and having an internal surface and an external surface facing theinner surface of the can flexible wall.
 5. A container according toclaim 4, wherein said at least one tank is located on the externalsurface of a jamb.
 6. A container according to claim 4, wherein thejambs forming the arc are flexible to exert a return force on the twojambs towards a home position.
 7. A container according to claim 1,wherein: said at least one tank comprises six tanks; and said at leastone tooth comprises six teeth, each one of the teeth being capable ofperforating respectively a corresponding one of a said at least onetank.
 8. A container according to claim 1, wherein the support is of aflexible material.
 9. A container according to claim 5, wherein thereare a plurality of tanks on each jamb.
 10. A container according toclaim 8, further comprising a respective tooth opposing each of saidtanks to engage a respective tank.